Machine Type Communication, MTC, will in all likelihood play an increasingly prominent role in cellular access networks, as well as in IT systems in general. Examples of systems in which user MTC devices for MTC operations may be applied include such applications as remotely controlled power meters as well as metering MTC devices in general, and also includes remotely controlled MTC devices for controlling functions in a home which make it possible to, for example, turn on the heat when arriving home after a vacation, or to receive alerts, such as e.g. fire alarms, burglar alarms etc while on vacation. In addition to these examples, which are examples of stationary MTC applications, there are also mobile MTC applications, such as remotely monitoring and/or controlling the functions in a car or some other kind of vehicle or vessel.
MTC application in which two MTC user MTC devices talk to each other, such as the example with an MTC power meter which reports to a central server equipped with MTC communication, are sometimes referred to as M2M communication, Machine to Machine communication.
Due to the vast amount of possible applications for MTC user MTC devices and systems, a surge in signaling and in data traffic in cellular access systems can be expected.
As defined in 3GPP Rel-10, an M2M application typically consists of a plurality of MTC user MTC devices which are controlled by an MTC server. The MTC Server is a new Rel-10 functional entity which will either be part of an operator's network or will belong to an M2M service provider who is external to the operator or his network.
The MTC Server will provide functions which facilitate efficient performance as well as functionality which is tailor-made for MTC user MTC devices and applications. An MTC Server can also be seen as an abstraction of the infrastructure which an M2M service provider has. This infrastructure may include routers, servers which perform signalling and which keep subscriber data for customers of the service provider, store-and-forward servers, DNS servers, security gateways etc.
It is anticipated that many or most MTC user MTC devices will be connected through cellular access networks such as GSM, GPRS and EPS/LTE. Typically, an MTC user MTC device will have low mobility, low data consumption and infrequent communication.
In addition, many, if not most, types of MTC applications will be delay tolerant, i.e. they will not be real time applications, as opposed to traditional applications of cellular access networks, such as speech, streaming of data etc. In many cases, the application in which an MTC user MTC device is used needs the MTC user MTC device to report data, or it may happen that the application needs to transmit data to the MTC user MTC device. In most such cases, the MTC application will be tolerant to delays.